U.S. Student Ambassadors on Expo Milan 2015 (Videos)

Michelle Obama visited the U.S. Pavilion at the 2015 Milan Expo, where she was received by a group of young Americans participating in the Student Ambassadors program. A total 120 college students or recent graduates were selected among more than 1,000 applicants to welcome visitors and introduce them to American food, culture and values through person-to-person conversations.   

As part of CPD's Expo Milan 2015 project, we interviewed American student ambassadors Michael Brown, a recent graduate from Seton Hall University and Alyssa Cassidy, a senior at Missouri State University, about their experiences representing the United States at this mega-event. 

Expo Milan 2015 is a major public diplomacy event of the year. The six-month global event, from May 1 to October 31, focuses on the theme “Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life.” More than 140 countries are participating in this Expo. Beginning in July, CPD will launch a special weekly series on the Milan Expo so stay tuned.

In 2010, CPD traveled to the Shanghai Expo to explore the convergence of soft power and this mega-event. Check out our discussions at a dozen national pavilions as well as photos, reports and other content at that project page here.